The king, in 1792, lost his continental dominions, and removed-1 to Sardinia. The nearness of Corsica renders him little more than a tributary of France.

The religion is the Roman Catholic. There are 3 archbishoprics and 4 bishoprics, and the clergy enjoy great immunities and emoluments.

The government is an absolute monarchy. The number of inhabitants in 1788, was 456,990. Many of the nobility and others removed with the government from the continent; and Hassel estimates the population in 1809 at 520,000. The number of regular troops was then 4000, besides a considerable number of country militia. The revenue also was then 644,750 dollars. The Sardinians are represented as proud, ignorant, and indolent. The nobility are exempt from taxes, and for all offences, except treason, are tried by seven of their peers. While they riot in wealth and luxury, the lower classes are plunged in indigence and slavery. The language is the Spanish.

Cagliari is the capital. It stands in the S. at the head of the bay of Cagliari. The population is about 50,000, and the commerce is considerable. The harbor is large, deep, and safe sheltered by an island, and defended by a castle and battery.

Sassari is in the N. W. on the river Tarres, 7 miles from the sea. It contains several churches, 16 convents, and 30,000 inhab-itants. In the neighborhood are mines of gold and silver.

MALTA.

Malta, is an island in the Mediterranean, 50 miles S. from the coast of Sicily. The island is a rock of fine free stone, of an ova! figure, 20 miles by 12, and 60 in compass, and contains 134 square › miles.

The religion is the Catholic. The island is now a colony of England. The population, as given by Hassel, is 74,705; of Gozzo, a neighboring island, 12.464; and of Comino, 603. Total 87,772. The three islands contain 8 cities, 6 towns, 33 villages, + and 10,966 houses. There are on these islands numerous country seats.

Valette, the capital, is surrounded with a strong wall. It stands upon a very large, safe, and commodious harbor, having several bays, and defended by Fort Ricasoli, and the celebrated castle of St. Elmo. This last stands on the point of a peninsula, separating the harbor of Valette from another on the right, and commands them both. It contains several churches and convents, a large hospital, and, in 1798, 23,680 inhabitants. The palace and St. John's church would ornament any city in Europe.

Civita Vecchia, the only other town of any size, stands on a hill in the middle of the island, and is strongly fortified. It is a bishop's see, contains several churches and convents, and 5000 inhabitants. Every village has an elegant church, adorned with

statues, tapestry, and plate. The soil is only about 8 or 10 inches deep, and lies on the rock.

One side of the island is of a great height, and perpendicular. The fortifications of the other sides are a most stupendous work. The ditches, of a vast size, are all cut out of the solid rock, and extend many miles in length.

Gozza lies to the N. W. of Malta, contains 40 square miles, several good harbors, and strong forts, and is fruitful. Comingo ; lies between them, has a fort, and covers 3 square miles.

IONIAN REPUBLIC.

THIS cluster of islands received this name from the French government, It is sometimes called the Republic of the Seven Islands, and sometimes the Ionian Islands. They were captured in 1811, by the British, having till then enjoyed a nominal independence, under the protection of France, to which they were ceded by Russia in 1807. Russia took them from France in 1799, and France from Venice in 1797. Venice had then had possession of them from the year 1224, except that the Turks took them in 1479, and kept them 20 years. These islands lie in the Ionian sea, S. E. of the straits of Otranto, and near the coast of Turkey. Their number is very great, but seven more particularly deserve our notice. These are arranged in the following table, geographically, beginning with that farthest north.

The climate is warm, but healthy; the land generally fertile and productive.

Corfu, the largest town in these islands, is fortified and defended by two forts, contains 12,000 inhabitants, has a good harbor, and carries on a considerable trade. Zante on the east coast of the island contains 12,000 inhabitants.

*. Cerigo lies directly S, of the Morea, at a small distance from its coast.

TURKISH EMPIRE.

THE Turkish Empire is central to the Eastern Continent, embracing a portion of Europe and Asia ;* and having been the scene of most of the transactions recorded in the Bible, is doubtless the most interesting portion of the world. Its divisions, according to Hassel, follow.

I. IN EUROPE,

1, Moldavia

2, Bessarabia, or Bud

Square Miles.
217,758

Inhabitants.

9,882,000

ziac Tartary

3, Wallachia

4, Servia

5, Bosnia

1, Bosnia Proper

9,863

2, Herzegovina, or

Dalmatia

4,383

According to Hassel, Egypt in Africa, is included in the Turkish Empire.

The correctness of the number of square miles in the Turkish Dominiona

in Asia and Africa is doubted,

Extent. THE length of Turkey, from Cape Matapan to the northern limit of Moldavia, is about 870 miles. The greatest breadth, from the western boundary of Bosnia, to the Black sea, is about 600. The extent of continental Turkey is stated by Hassel, at 212,410 square miles; while the European Turkish islands are estimated at 5348.

Boundaries. Bounded N. by Austria and Russia; E. by Russia, the Black sea, the straits of Constantinople, the sea of Marmora, the Dardanelles, and the Archipelago; S. by the Mediter❤ ranean; W. by the same, the Adriatic, Venetian Dalmatia, and a part of Austrian Croatia.

Religion. The Mahometan is the established religion of Turkey; but at least two thirds of the inhabitants are Greek Christians.

The Mufti or Sheik-Islam, is the head of the Mahometan relig ion. He is appointed and may be deposed by the Sultan, and is the . second subject in the empire. He resides at Constantinople, and is the head of the Ulema, a body highly respected and powerful, the guardians of the religion and interpreters of the laws. These possess the most lucrative employments, are secure from the extortions of office, and cannot be put to death without the consent of the Mufti: while their property, at their decease, passes as a right to their heirs. In the larger mosques there are preachers; rea ders, who recite the prayers; persons who summon the people together, and sextons. In small parishes, the imam performs all these duties, and is sometimes the village schoolmaster.

The dervises are an entirely distinct order from the imams, or priests. There are two classes of them.

The patriarch of Constantinople is the head of the Greek church, enjoys an ample revenue, and claims precedency of the patriarchs of Antioch, Jerusalem, and Alexandria. He is chosen by the arci. bishops. The office is uniformly set to sale, and bestowed on the highest bidder. The inferior clergy are bishops, archimandrites, abbots, arch-priests, priests, and deacons. The Greeks have few nunneries, but numerous convents.

Government. Mahomet himself, like Moses and Joshua, sus

tained the double character of a military chief and an inspired legislator. His orders and regulations were professedly the dictates of inspiration. His successors, the Saracen califs, claimed a high sanctity of character, as descendants of the Prophet, and as guardians and expositors of the law. The Ottoman emperors, at the suppression of the califat, separated the temporal and spiritual authorities.

The empire is governed by a code of laws, called multeka, founded on the precepts of the Koran, the oral law, usages and opinions of the Prophet, and the sentences and decisions of the early califs and doctors. This code regulates alike religious, civil, criminal, political, and military affairs. On matters unprovided for, the sultan pronounces as the good of the state demands. The sultan is the sole fountain of honour and of office, and claims to be the proprietor of all the immoveable wealth of the empire. He has the absolute power of life and death, and exercises it over his ministers and governors, with military severity and promptitude.

The sultan usually has little to do with the administration of the governments. His substitute, the grand vizir, has, under the grand scignor, absolute authority. He is president of the divan, or supreme council.

Population. Pinkerton calculates the population of Turkey in Europe, at 8,000,000; while Hassel's estimate is 9,822,000.

Army. The Political Journal for 1804, quoted by Hassel, gives the following estimate of the Turkish forces.

1. Infantry.
Janizaries

40,000

Navy. The navy, in 1806, comprised 20 ships of the line, 15 frigates, and 32 smaller vessels, carrying 2156 guns, and 4000 marines. Revenue. Hassel estimates the public revenue at 30,000,000 guilders, or 15,555,000 dollars. The revenue of the sultan, arising from the royal domains, escheats, presents, and extortions from the rich christians, and from public officers, cannot be exactly ascertained, but far exceeds the above amount.

The national debt, in 1803, is stated at 106,700,000 guilders, and the debts then due the government, at 17,066,480 piastres, or about 15,300,000 dollars.

Manners and Customs. The morals of the Turks are loose in the extreme, and lewdness, in its worst forms, is common throughout Turkey. Both sexes are distinguished for cleanliness, and bathing is one of their stated amusements. The public baths are elegant and noble. The Turks are fond of conversation, story